Tag Archives: breazeale

NY Press Conference Notes: Wilder vs. Breazeale

Posted on 03/19/2019

By: Hans Themistode

The New York City Press conference to announce the Heavyweight title clash between WBC champion Deontay Wilder (40-0-1, 39 KOs) and Dominic Breazeale (20-1, 18 KOs) was a feisty affair. Both men have a long lasting feud that stretches far beyond the squared circle.

In 2017 the two fought on the same card and both picked up impressive victories. Breazeale’s coming against then Izuagbe Ugonoh and Wilder’s coming against Gerald Washington. Ironically enough both men scored stoppage victories in round five.

Sometime after their contests they got into a dispute that ended in a bit of a tussle. Ask both men what happened and they will both tell you completely different stories. Regardless of what they have been saying, the time for talk is over as they will be squaring off on May 18 at the Barlcays Center.

Wilder has become a staple at the Barclays as it has become some what of a de facto home for the Alabama native. The WBC champion expressed his admiration for the venue as well.

“It’s a blessing to be back in Brooklyn and back at the Barclay Center. You know how dear this place is to me. I’ve been here so many times. Out here they call me the Bronx Bomber instead of the Bronze Bomber and I love it. I’m looking forward to fighting here again.” Said Wilder.

Seems as though it was a calm press conference doesn’t it? Think again. These two bohemians wasted no time expressing their dislike for one another while also giving warnings of what exactly will happen come fight night.

“I finally get a chance to get this chump in the ring. I’m tired of hearing you talk. It’s time to get in the ring and square off.” Said Breazeale.

In the world of boxing it is common place that two fighters don’t like one another but normally there is a healthy level of respect. For Breazeale however there seems to be none there.

“It’s hard for me to believe that Wilder is the Heavyweight champion. How can a man with a lack of boxing skills be the champion? Come fight night he’s going to bring everything that he has. He’s gonna feel my right hand and I might feel his but I guarantee if he feels mines then he’s going down.”

The war of words didn’t stop there as Breazeale explained just how elated he was when he found out that Wilders younger brother Marcellus was knocked out earlier this year.

“Man I was so excited that I sent the guy who did it “Trouble” gear. I wanna take the guy out and buy him dinner, maybe a good steak. I’ve got that highlight in my house.”

There is absolutely no love and no respect shown between these two. In the words of Breazeale, Wilder does everything wrong. But how do you prepare for someone that is so unconventional?

“I don’t know maybe I have to find some tall basketball players to spar against.”

For as much as Breazeale poked fun at Wilder’s expense he made it clear what he intends to do come fight night.

“This fight ain’t going the distance. I’m gonna knock his ass out.”

According to Wilder Breazeale deserved everything that happened to him on that night in Alabama.

“Listen, he sucker punched my brother,” said Wilder to the media. “He hit my brother first and then my brother came around and dropped him. He got embarrassed because my brother was only about 193 pounds. If my bother can do that to him what do you think I’m gonna do to him? I’m gonna knock his ass out come May 18th.”

Whenever Deontay Wilder speaks to the media it is impossible to not address the elephant in the room, meaning Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury. Wilder made it clear that he is not chasing anyone.

“I’m a king. We don’t chase anyone. I’m not hard to find. They know how to contact me.”

With all of the animosity that was spewed during todays press conference it is safe to say that fans can expect fireworks come fight night.

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Wilder-Breazeale Engage In Heated Presser For May 18th Showdown

Posted on 03/19/2019

By: Sean Crose

“The reality is –he’s in charge of his career.”

With these words, Showtime honcho Stephen Espinoza made it loud and clear that WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder would rather fight on Showtime than he would on the DAZN streaming service, which had reached out to make a deal with the Alabama native. And so, on Showtime, Wilder will face Dominic Breazeale on May 18th at Brooklyn’s Barclay’s Center.

“I’m sick of seeing this bum walking around with this belt,” said the 20-1 Breazeale, Wilder’s mandatory opponent, during a kickoff press conference Tuesday in New York. “I’m going to put him on his ass.”

“I consider the mandatories like flies,” Wilder quipped, “they’re always buzzing in your ear.” If Breazeale had meant to irk Wilder, he may have accomplished his goal. “This is the only sport where payback is a motherfucker,” the 40-0-1 Wilder said. “Pain is the name of the game in this sport, and we all know who does that the best.”

Many had expected Wilder to have a rematch with Tyson Fury this spring, as the two men had fought to a controversial draw last December. Fury, however, signed with Bob Arum’s Top Rank Promotions, and will now be fighting on ESPN, Showtime’s competition. As for DAZN, a deal with Wilder might have led to a heavyweight superfight with multibelt titlist Anthony Joshua. Team Wilder found the offer unfair, however.

“We’re going to have a lot of people we’re going to satisfy,” said Wilder, “and there’s some people we’re not.”

As for Breazeale, the man had a searing run in with Wilder in a hotel lobby some time back. It was an incident the California native made clear motivates him. “I didn’t have an urban dictionary,” Breazeale said of the melee, “so I couldn’t understand what he was saying.” Wilder, too obviously remains heated over the matter. “I can’t wait to see what this dude’s body gonna do when I hit him in the face,” he said of his opponent.

Wilder jawed throughout the standoff while Breazeale simply stared at his opponent cooly. Wilder then appeared to stalk after Breazeale offstage, yelling the entire time. “Boy,” Wilder had said earlier. “I’ve been waiting for this day.” He certainly seemed to be enjoying the moment. Word had been out that the Wilder-Breazeale fight would go down on Showtime pay per view, so the fact it will air on regular Showtime this spring may come as a surprise to some.

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Undefeated WBC Heavyweight Champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder will put his title on the line for the ninth time when he steps into the ring against hard-hitting mandatory challenger Dominic “Trouble” Breazeale live on SHOWTIME and presented by Premier Boxing Champions on Saturday, May 18 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.

Wilder vs. Breazeale promises the type of explosive displays of power that fans have come to expect from the red-hot heavyweight division as the two knockout artists have combined for 57 knockouts in 62 professional bouts. Both men stand at 6-foot-7-inches tall, have engaged in numerous dramatic clashes and are fan-favorites at Barclays Center. Wilder will be fighting at the arena for the fourth time and Breazeale will be making his third appearance.

Tickets for this BombZquad event go on sale Friday, March 22 at 10 a.m. ET and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com, barclayscenter.com, or by calling 800-745-3000. Beginning Saturday, March 23 at 12 p.m. ET, tickets can be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

Wilder (40-0-1, 39 KOs) is the most exciting heavyweight in the world with a power-punching style that has fans on the edge of their seats from start to finish, knowing the tide of a fight can change in the blink of an eye. He has only gone the distance twice in his career with 39 of his 41 matches ending inside of the distance. He battered Bermane Stiverne over 12 rounds to win a lopsided unanimous decision and claim the WBC title on Jan. 17, 2015. In the rematch two years later Wilder crushed Stiverne with a brutal first-round knockout that left the challenger crumpled on the bottom rope.

The 33-year-old Wilder is coming off a thrilling battle with British heavyweight contender Tyson Fury that resulted in a split draw on Dec. 1. Wilder scored knockdowns in the ninth and 12th rounds of the fight. The last knockdown appeared to finish off Fury, but he beat the referee’s count and made it to the final bell.

Born in and still living in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Wilder picked up the nickname “The Bronze Bomber” in honor of Joe Louis, who was known as “The Brown Bomber” after he won the bronze medal as a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic boxing team. Wilder got a late start as a boxer, taking up the sport at age 20 hoping to become a professional and earn enough money for the medical treatments of his daughter Naieya, who was born with spina bifida. He won the U.S. Olympic trials with just 21 amateur bouts under his belt.

“I’m very happy that I get a chance to get a mandatory out of the way, because I consider mandatories like flies buzzing around my head,” said Wilder. “They bother me. I’m busy. I have things that I want to do. I want to get him out of the way. I’m about to smash this fly. This is a personal fight for me. As the universe works this is the perfect time. I haven’t been this excited about destroying an opponent since Bermane Stiverne. I’m also excited to have the very first event for BombZquad Promotions at what I consider one of best arenas in the country, Barclays Center in Brooklyn. It’s go time baby. I can’t wait.”

Breazeale (20-1, 18 KOs) is nicknamed “Trouble” and that’s exactly what he has been for his opponents. The 33-year-old has a durable chin and a slugger’s mentality, throwing heavy-handed shots that have seen him score 18 knockout victories in his 21 professional fights.

Breazeale, who was born in Glendale, California and now lives in Eastvale, California, was an outstanding high school football player who played quarterback at Northern Colorado University before taking up boxing. The 6-foot-7 Breazeale was a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic boxing team.

He put himself into position to challenge for the WBC world title by ripping off three straight knockout victories following the only loss in his career, a seventh-round TKO to Anthony Joshua in a heavyweight world title match in 2016. In December he scored a knockout victory in Brooklyn over Carlos Negron for his second-straight win at Barclays Center.

“I’m excited for the event more so than just fighting Deontay Wilder,” said Breazeale. “I want that WBC title. What I bring to the fight is excitement and consistent action. I’m going to bring the action all night. I’m not scared to stick my nose out there and look for the big shot. I know the big shot is coming as long as I set it up the right way.”

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Whyte Eyeing Breazeale After Joshua Talks Fail

Posted on 02/04/2019

By: Michael Kane

With a fight against Anthony Joshua seemingly now not going ahead, Dillian Whyte hopes to fight Dominic Breazeale.

April 20th at the O2 Arena in London has been booked by Matchroom Promotions and it is likely we will see Whyte take centre stage at the venue where he has headlined the last three events.

Photo Credit: Anthony Fowler Twitter Account

Whyte had been in the running to face Joshua at Wembley Satdium on April 13th. That event now looks likely to be cancelled with Joshua heading Stateside to make his U.S debut against Jarrell Miller in June at Madison Square Garden in New York.

“The Joshua fight is dead. It is not happening at the minute, so we move on,” Whyte told Sky Sports.

“The good thing is I am in a position where I have got options. We wanted the fight, I think they wanted the fight as well but sometimes negotiations break down.

“I believe I have a certain value, bring a certain value to the fight. I need belief that this is what he wants to give me.”

“Negotiations in business are very difficult. The fans don’t really see the ins and outs of that. We move on.” he continued.

When asked who he is likely to face, Whyte answered, “I will fight April 20 here (the O2) hopefully against Dominic Breazeale, Alexander Povetkin, Luis Ortiz or one of those guys. Let’s see what Eddie can deliver in the next couple of days.”

If Whyte had to pick one, which one would it be?

“I would fight Dominic Breazeale because he is a big guy, only lost once and he is WBC mandatory challenger.”

“Even though I am number one for almost two years, he is number three and the mandatory, I don’t understand! We want to get to the bottom of that situation once and for all!”

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The Wilder-Breazeale Melee: Families Should Be Off Limits

Posted on 02/27/2017

The Wilder-Breazeale Melee: Families Should Be Off Limits
By: Sean Crose

This sort of thing happens. What’s more, it’s happened since the early days of boxing. Back in the late 1800s, James J Corbett nearly threw down with Bob Fitzimmons on a stretch of road in the leadup to their heavyweight title matchup. Since then, boxing has provided the world with more out of the ring, inappropriate antics than most could imagine. Some of us may well remember Mike Tyson’s off the wall New York brawl with Mitch Green…or Larry Holmes’ WWE maneuver on Trevor Berbick. Again, such things are part of boxing.

The out of the ring melee that apparently went down Saturday night between the camps of heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder and contender Dominic Breazeale, however, seems to have involved Breazeale’s children – and that’s not acceptable. “I want to address the fact,” Breazeale tweeted, “that Deontay Wilder and a mob of about 20 people unprovokedly attacked my Team and my family in the lobby last night.” According to Breazeale, he and his coach were struck in front of Breazeale’s wife and kids in the lobby of a hotel. TMZ has run some confusing footage of the chaos, but it’s hard to discern much of anything on screen.

It’s important to keep in mind that there is no definitive proof of anyone actually doing anything criminal after Saturday’s fight card in Alabama (where both Breazeale and Wilder won in impressive fashion). All there essentially is at this point is TMZ and the words of some of those involved. That’s really not a lot to go on. Still, all camps should clear the air about this. Explanations need to be given and, yeah, apologies need to be made. Causing madness in hotel lobbies is simply inappropriate.

Again, this sort of thing happens. Boxing is a tough sport where some very tough people get very psyched up. Such incidents are perhaps probably only natural considering the frame of mind your average fighter must put himself in. Restraint, however, is needed – especially when innocent people can be hurt. And this is particularly true in the case of children. Some things can’t and shouldn’t be laughed off. And if Dominic Breazeale is right in his assertion of what happened on Saturday (and I’m not saying he is), people should be called out and held accountable for it.

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Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions series was televised live from the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.

Two world title fights were televised tonight as Deontay Wilder defended his WBC World Heavyweight Title against challenger Gerald Washington, and Tony Harrison faced Jarrett Hurd for the vacant IBF Junior Middleweight Title.

This was the third straight fight that Wilder fought in Birmingham, Alabama.

The opening bout of the night was between Izuagbe Ugonoh (17-0) and Dominic Breazeale (17-1) in the heavyweight division.

Ugonoh was giving up several inches in height to Breazeale, but looked like he was in incredible shape.

Ugonoh circled Breazeale in the opening round and attacked the body with an occasional combination to the head. Breazeale seemed bothered by the speed of Ugonoh early on.

Ugonoh continued with the good body work in the third round and Breazeale was missing wildly with his punches. Breazeale had difficulty catching up to Ugonoh, and when he did he was hit with a low blow. Ugonoh ended the second round with a good two punch combination.

The third round was action packed and Breazeale turned the tide of the fight in his favor with a right hand that sent Ugonoh to the mat. Ugonoh was able to get back to his feet and survive an onslaught from Breazeale; before answering back with hard thudding right hands that had Breazeale wobbly on his feet. Both boxers were throwing and landing heavy blows as the third round came to an end.

Breazeale pressed the pace in the fourth round and was walking Ugonoh down early on. Ugonoh was able to hurt Breazeale with a right hand to the temple that sent Breazeale falling forward in a failed attempt to hold onto Ugonoh. Breazeale was wobbly when he got back to his feet but was able to survive the round.

Breazeale was recovered by the beginning of the third round and landed two heavy straight right hands to the temple of Ugonoh that forced him to take a knee. Ugonoh looked badly shaken when he got to his feet and was met with several more hard right hands to the temple that sent him crashing outside the ring.

The referee had seen enough and jumped in to stop the fight at 0:50 of the fifth round.

Breazeale showed incredible heart in a highly entertaining fight to get the TKO victory.

The next bout was between Tony Harrison (24-1) and Jarrett Hurd (19-0) for the IBF Junior Middleweight Title.

The opening round was a feeling out round with both boxers throwing their jab in an attempt to find their range. Harrison did look like he had the quicker hands and wider variety of punches.

Hurd was chasing Harrison in the second round and was eating a steady stream of jabs. Hurd kept up the pressure in the third round but Harrison landed several good counters and check left hooks.

Harrison continued to display the quicker hands in the fourth round while Hurd appeared to do little but walk into the jabs of Harrison. Hurd was able to land a good right uppercut in the fifth round but was still out landed by his opponent.

Harrison picked up the pace again in the sixth round and at one point hard Hurd hurt and backed into a corner; but Hurd turned the tide of the fight back in his favor in the seventh round when he had Harrison badly hurt with good body shots and chopping right hooks.

Hurd kept up the pressure in the eighth round and appeared to be physically hurting Harrison with every punch that he landed. Hurd finally scored a thudding knockdown in the ninth round when he connected with a clean straight right hand that sent him crashing backwards to the mat.

Harrison got back up at the count of nine, but spit out his mouthpiece as the referee was talking with him. The referee immediately waived off the fight, despite the protest of Tony Harrison.

Jarrett Hurd wins by TKO at 2:24 of the ninth round.

The main event was between Deontay Wilder (37-0) and Gerald Washington (18-01) for the WBC Heavyweight Title.

Washington established his jab in the opening round and was causing Wilder some problems early on. Wilder was not used to facing boxers as tall as Washington and he had difficulty finding his openings in the second round and at times was moving backwards.

Washington landed some heavy body shots in the third round and was able to avoid the power shots of Wilder and had a good round. Washington was able to land some combinations in the fourth round and it looked like he had Wilder confused.

Wilder opened up the fifth round with a long reaching jab and a looping left hook, before he cracked a straight right hand to the head of Washington that sent him falling backwards on his butt onto the mat.

Washington was able to get up at the count of eight, but Wilder unloaded several hard shots to the head of a cowering Washington before the referee waived the fight off.

Deontay Wilder retains his WBC Heavyweight Title with a TKO victory at 1:45 of the fifth round.

After the fight, Deontay Wilder acknowledged the presence of WBO Heavyweight Champion Joseph Parker and stated he’s ready to fight him next and unify the titles.

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Izuagbe Ugonoh set to Make his Mark Against Dominic Breazeale: A Conversation with Trainer Kevin Barry

Posted on 02/24/2017

Izuagbe Ugonoh set to Make his Mark against Dominic Breazeale: A Conversation with Trainer Kevin Barry
By: Eric Lunger

Live on FOX this Saturday night in Birmingham, Alabama, charismatic American heavyweight Deontay Wilder will make his fifth defense of the WBC championship belt against unbeaten Gerald Washington.The PBC card is stacked from top to bottom, but I am excited about the heavyweight clash between Dominic Breazeale (17-1, 15 KOss) and Izuagbe Ugonoh (17-0, 14 KOs). Even for a global sport like boxing, Izu, as he is known, has made a fascinating journey to reach this moment at the Legacy Arena. His parents emigrated from Nigeria to Poland, where Izu was born. After graduating from Jędrzej Śniadecki University School of Physical Education in Gdansk, Izu embarked on a successful kickboxing career, making the transition to boxing in 2010.

Ugonoh caught the eye of veteran trainer Kevin Barry in 2013, while sparring in Las Vegas withheavyweight prospect Joseph Parker of New Zealand. Parker captured his first world title in December of last year, and Barry hopes to bring Ugonoh along the same path. Boxinginsider.com caught up withKevinon Thursday, and hespoke about his relationship with this remarkable athletewho is about to lace up the gloves for the biggest fight of his career.

Barry met Ugonoh fortuitously, as he was searching for sparring partners for Joseph Parker: “In my early days with Parker, we were traveling around various gyms in Las Vegas sparring anyone we could possibly get some ring time with, and I heard that Izu was training with Kenny Adams. I rang Kenny and went over there, Joe and Izu sparred six rounds, and it was probably some of the best work we had in Vegas. We came away with the thought: we’ve got to get more of this;this kid can really fight!”

It didn’t take long for Barry to connect with the Polish-born fighter: “that went on for about six sparring sessions, and during that time we built up a bit of a rapport with him. As it worked out, both Joe and Izu were helping Bermane [Stiverne] prepare for Chris Arreola, and we became even closer friends. Things weren’t really working out for Izu; I think he had moved around about five different trainers, I believe that he just wasn’t happy. He came to me and asked, ‘would I be interested in working with him?’ It was my second year with Joe Parker, and Joe was living in my house. I didn’t want anything to interfere with the chemistry that we had going, so I sat down with Joe and I sat down with Izu. In the end, in October of 2014, I took Izu to New Zealand, and fought him down there. Then in November of 2014, I moved him into my house with my family and Joe.”

Barry brought Ugonoh along carefully: “we had five fights down there [in New Zealand] in 2014, and then five fights in 2015.” Ugonoh’s pace slowed down last year with two bouts, a fourth round TKO of Ricardo Ramirez and a second round stoppage most recently of Gregory Tony.

Barry is pleased with Izu’s progress: “he has waited very patiently for this opportunity. The last two years, he’s been fighting well within himself, he’s been learning his craft, becoming a better, more well-rounded fighter in all aspects of the game. This is our first fight with Al Haymon’s PBC, and it’s a big fight.”

The matchup is an exciting one for fans. Barry sees the fight this way: “it’s a great matchup of skill and size. Really, they sort of mirror each other: Izu is 30, Breazeale is 31; Izu is 17-0, Breazeale is 17-1. Both have 81 inch reaches, both have about 8 KO’s in the first three rounds.”

Barry concedes that Breazeale has a better resume: “Breazeale has fought better names, sure, Anthony Joshua, Amir Monsour, Fred Kassi.” But Barry sees his fighter as ready to compete at that level. “Look,” Barry said, “Izu would knock out out Monsour and Kassi.I tell everybody, I think Izu is the sleeper of the heavyweight division. On Saturday night, live on FOX and around the world, everyone will know who Izu is.”

Barry feels that Ugonoh is ready for the big stage: “He is a very talented fighter, a very intelligent fighter. He’s got explosive power and very heavy hands. Look, the big question mark is: hey, this is a big step up in class from where he’s been fighting. But this is a fight, when it was first addressed to Izu, he jumped at it with open arms, saying, ‘this is the fight I’ve been waiting for.’”

Barry and his fighter know that the stakes are high: “Izuknows that the spoils definitely go to the winner in this fight: a great performance will see with Izu or Breazeale go on a short list for a fight for the world title.”

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Who is the Real Heavyweight Champion?

Posted on 07/14/2016

Who is the Real Heavyweight Champion?
By: Ken Hissner

This Saturday WBC heavyweight champion Deontay “Bronze Bomber” Wilder, 36-0 (35), of AL, USA, age 30, defends his title against Chris “Nightmare” Arreola, 36-4-1 (31), of CA, age 35. in Birmingham, AL, Wilder’s hometown. In Arreola’s last fight he failed a drug test. Wilder has defended against No. 12, No. 9, No. 7 and now another No. 9. He was scheduled to fight Alexander “Russian Vityaz” Povetkin, 30-1 (22), of RUS, age 36, who failed a drug test and passed on second time around. Povetkin is also a former Olympic Gold medalist.

Tyson Fury, 25-0 (18), UK, age 27, who holds both the WBA and WBO titles since defeating now former WBA, WBO and IBF world champion and Olympic Gold medalist Wladimir “Dr. Steelhammer” Klitschko, 64-4 (53), UKR, age 40, who is now No. 2 in both the WBA and WBO. This took place in November of 2015. Fury was scheduled to give Klitschko a rematch but injured his hand in training. There may be a bout in September but no date has been set.

WBA World champion is Lucas “Big Daddy” Browne, 24-0 (17), AUST, age 37, having won the title in March stopping Ruslan “White Tyson” Chagov, 34-2-1 (21), of UZE/GER. The No. 1 contender and WBA interim champion is Luis “King Kong” Ortiz, 25-0 (22), CUBA/Miami, USA, age 37, is schedule to fight No. 3 Alexander Ustinov, 33-1 (24), RUS/Belarus, age 39. The winner may be in line to fight Browne.

IBF champion and Olympic Gold medalist Anthony Joshua, 17-0 (17), UK, age 26, recently won the title stopping Charles Martin who has dropped to No. 10 in the rankings. He defended his title with a stoppage of Dominic Breazele in June. His last four opponents had been unbeaten.

The No. 1 IBF and WBO contender is Joseph Parker, 19-0 (16), NZ/NV, USA, age 24, who is fighting No. 11 WBA contender Solomon Haumono, 24-2-2 (21), NZ, AUST, July 21st in NZ. Parker is No. 8 in the WBA and No. 4 in WBC. The winner could be in line to fight Joshua.

So you have a pair of champions fighting out of the UK in Fury and Joshua. One from Australia in Browne and one from USA in Wilder. It would make sense if Joshua fights the Fury-Klitschko winner. Browne to the fight Parker-Haumono winner and Wilder fight Povetkin. As noted quite a few of the top boxers are between 35 and over like Klitschko and Humono both 40. Ustinov is 39, Ortiz and Browne are 37. Povetin is 36 and Arreola 35. Wilder is 30, Fury 27, Joshua 26 and Parker 24.

Joshua is without a doubt the champion to reckon with in the future since only having 17 fights. Klitschko was considered the best holding three titles until a very poor showing losing to Fury who didn’t exactly set the world on fire. Wilder is still untested while the Povetkin fight was to be his toughest test until cancelled. Arreola is a big underdog to Wilder. Parker is high in two of the organizations but doesn’t look like he has champion qualities. Browne is a late comer who won his title in Russia and could be a spoiler. The most dangerous is probably Ortiz. Any way you look at it there are several who could achieve three titles as Klitschko did.

It’s also the feeling Klitschko will win the title back. Fury has mentioned this could be his last fight. So unless the champions fight one another it could be a long time until there is going to be an undisputed champion holding all four titles!

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In 2012 Anthony Joshua, then 22, and Dominick Breazeale, then 26, each represented their respective countries, the United Kingdom and the United States, in the 2012 Olympic Games, held in London, England. Both fighters competed in the Super heavyweight division, with Breazeale losing in the first round and Joshua eventually standing on the top of the medal podium, having a Gold Medal placed around his neck. This Saturday, from the O2 Arena in Greenwich, London, live on Showtime, both fighters will meet face to face as undefeated professionals, for the IBF Heavyweight championship of the world.

Dominic Breazeale (17-0 15KO) got a late start in the boxing game. He was a football player, a Quarterback at that, who played division one for the University of Northern Colorado. When professional football did not seem like a valid option, the 6’8”, 250lb Breazeale found out quickly that he could turn that throwing arm into a pretty heavy knockout punch. After competing in the Olympics he immediately turned pro later that year and has amassed an unblemished records of seventeen wins, with fifteen coming by way of the knockout. He has wins over Amir Mansour, Fred Kasi, Yasmany Consuegra and Victor Bisbal in the last year. This weekend’s title fight against Joshua will be his toughest to date, and Breazeale has stated that this fight will end by KO, “We’re two knockout artists, so whoever lands first is going to win….I’m not some pushover like he’s had in the past. If I see an opportunity, I am going to take advantage of it”.

Anthony Joshua (16-0 16KO) has been groomed to become the heavyweight champion of the world, winning his first title earlier this year in April, in only his 16th professional fight. Joshua has faced a bit of better competition against the likes of Kevin Johnson, Gary Cornish, Dillian Whyte and Charles Martin, will all of them getting knocked out by Joshua. In only 3 years as a pro, the Gold Medalist and now IBF heavyweight champion has accomplished a lot, and sees Breazeale as just another mandatory competitor towards his ultimate goal of unified heavyweight champ, “I still have another couple titles I need to get my hands on. I’m still hunting. There’s still work to be done”.

This has the makings for a very exciting heavyweight fight, between two big sluggers. With the difference in competition that both have seen and the fight being in London, the edge is definitely in Joshua’s favor, but in the heavyweight division, it only takes one punch to change all of that.

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The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of May 31st to June 7th, covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.

HBO Returns to Russia for Kovalev’s Next Bout

HBO Sports returns to Russia for the first time since 2013 to present world light heavyweight champ Sergey Kovalev’s title defense against challenger Isaac Chilemba when the fight is presented in the United States on MONDAY, JULY 11 at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT (same day tape-delayed) from the DIVS Arena in Ekaterinburg, Russia, exclusively on HBO.

n his first fight in Russia since 2011, Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (29-0-1, 26 KOs) defends his light heavyweight title for the ninth time when he faces Malawi’s Isaac Chilemba (24-3-2, 10 KOs) in a bout scheduled for 12 rounds. Kovalev, 33, has emerged as one of the sport’s most feared punchers defeating many of the best fighters in the light heavyweight division including Bernard Hopkins and Jean Pascal. He is ranked as one of the sport’s top pound-for-pound performers. Chilemba, 28, has never been stopped in his 29 professional bouts and will look to use his ring savvy to emerge victorious in his first career world title opportunity.

Kovalev vs. Chilemba will be televised from the DIVS Arena in Ekaterinburg, Russia, on Monday, July 11 at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT, capping off an exciting weekend of international boxing on HBO which begins on Saturday, July 9 live at 5:00 p.m. ET/PT when world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury squares off with former titlist Wladimir Klitschko in Manchester, England

Edner Cherry to Meet Lydell Rhodes

Former title challenger Edner Cherry (34-7-2, 19 KOs) and quick-fisted contender Lydell Rhodes (23-1-1, 11 KOs) will compete in the 10-round lightweight main event of Premier Boxing Champions TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 and BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on Tuesday, June 28 from Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pa.

Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features unbeaten featherweight Omar “Super O” Douglas (16-0, 11 KOs) battling hard-hitting Cuban Alexei “The Hurricane” Collado (19-1, 17 KOs) in a 10-round bout.
“I know Rhodes is a good fighter and I am preparing for a tough fight,” said Cherry. “I am still pushing towards a world title. I learned that when you fight for a title, you have to knock out the champ. I’m not giving up. I’m still here and think this will be a great fight. This is what boxing needs, two great fighters going at it.”

“I have been waiting for a fight like this for a long time,” said Rhodes. “Cherry is a warrior who has never been stopped. I will be the first person to stop him. I have to go out and dominate against a guy who has fought many world champions. I believe if I do that, it will push me towards a world title shot.”

Dominic Breazeale Workout Quotes

On the passing of Muhammed Ali…

“Muhammed Ali was a huge inspiration. Heavy hearts when great ones pass away like that. He was a wonderful man. I never had the opportunity to meet him, but I did meet some of his kids, Layla Ali being one of them.
“Ali was a very inspirational type of individual. You go back and watch some of his fights; I was way too young to see him fight in his prime but I’ve seen the recordings and seen the video footage. Everyone says he did everything wrong but everything right. It’s just phenomenal.

“One of the things I was able to take from watching him fight was his jab. Sometimes he’d beat guys hands down with just his jab.”

On AIBA’s position on pros to fight in Olympics…

“I think it’s a good thing and a bad thing. AIBA’s doing a good job bringing the councils together and generating a new buzz for the sport. It might be a little too late for some of the professional fighters to get themselves together to compete for their country. I like the fact that they’re taking the head gear off because that’s the next step after the Olympics. You go into the pros and there’s not going to be any more padded gloves or head gear that you’re wearing so that’s a good thing. As far as the pros, I don’t see any successful pros joining and entering into an amateur competition, but for those that didn’t get a chance to compete in the Olympics they might.”

On competing in the Olympics…

“I have definitely considered it. But I’ve got a fight coming up.

On his opponent Anthony Joshua…

“I think, in general, he’s kind of had a little bit of a stepping stone as far as fighting in the Olympics in his backyard, having the judges there in his backyard. I don’t know if you saw the fight but when he fought in that final match for the Gold Medal, I was sitting third row and I hands down believe that (he lost). But you know, when you’ve got judges on your side, in your own country, Olympics in your own country, it looks better when the home native wins.

“Even as a professional, he fought a guy in Charles Martin that really didn’t show up fight night. Charles Martin himself had an easy road and path to the title with the whole slip and fall against Glazkov. When you think of a heavyweight champion you want to make sure he’s fought the best, and I think that’s why Joshua has chosen me as his opponent to defend against. That’s what he plans on getting out of the situation if he can make it through the 12 rounds. I plan on putting on some extreme pressure and taking Joshua to a new level of boxing, and we’ll find out June 25.”
On what it means to get a shot at a title…

“I think Joshua’s thinking of me as a stepping stone and he’s going to be sorry about that. He’s just wrong. I mean, he’s fighting a guy at 6-foot-7, 255 pounds that brings the pressure and a great pace from round-to-round. I’m one of those guys that I might take a shot, I might work some defense, I might work a strong jab.

“Either way, I’m going to make it a fight. All of my opponents have been down on the canvas and I don’t think Joshua is going to come shy of that as well.

“I’m going in as the underdog, I’m going into an arena with 20,000 opposing fans. I’ve been picked as the smaller guy in the ring, by the IBF as a stepping stone and I feel like my back is against the wall. I’m going to
come out fighting.”

Demetrius Andrade Workout Quotes

Reflections of Muhammad Ali:

“Muhammad Ali certainly shook the world, and not only in boxing. He was colorful; nobody talked like him. He helped boxers, too. Ali is the reason Floyd (Mayweather, Jr.) is who he is because Ali set the bar high.

“As an entertaining boxer, Ali brought blacks and whites together and later he spread the word about religion, culture and his other diverse interests.

“What young boxer didn’t do the Ali Shuffle? I know I did, and taunted my opponents like him, too.”

About Pros in the Olympics:

“I’m for pros in the Olympics as long as an amateur, who has a few Olympic trials, has the first opportunity to qualify for the Olympics. Coming up in the amateurs, I fought grown men, some who had been Olympians a few times. I was 21 and some of the opponents were 34-35 and had already been Olympians one or two times. They had advantages in experience, power and skill. Unfortunately, Americans only have Olympic opportunities when they’re young amateurs.

“Would I go the Olympics now? Yes! The Olympics is the biggest thing on the planet. To represent the United States again, yeah, I’d do it now for the chance to win gold. But I do think headgear should be applied in amateur boxing, including the Olympics.”

On the 154-pound division:

“I’m putting myself in the best position to fight for the WBO or WBC title. There are rumors of Canelo fighting (WBO champion Liam) Smith. Let me fight Smith and the winner gets Canelo. Or let me fight Canelo with the winner getting Smith.

“I’m going to knock out the Charlo twins. Both guys have fought on SHOWTIME, so those fights shouldn’t be too difficult to make. Once I take care of business with the Charlo twins, I’ll fight Lara (WBA champion) to clean up the division.”

On Gennady Golovkin:

“I definitely want to fight Golovkin. Let me build myself up first, by cleaning out the 154-division, and then we’ll have a mega-fight with two different styles. GGG is known for his knockouts. I knock out people, too, but I’m a better boxer than him. It’ll be one of the biggest fights in the sport of boxing. I’m going to clean up the 154-division, make my reputation and then it’s a go with GGG.”

Relationship with his opponent Willie Nelson:

“We were in the U.S. amateurs together, but because we were in two different weight classes – he was 140-147 and I was 152 – there were no problems between us. We used to watch each other fight and watch other Americans box.

“Nelson is experienced having gone through the amateurs. He fought (Vanes) Martirosyan, who I beat (for the vacant WBO title by 12-round unanimous decision). He’s fought at this level. I know he’s tall, but I’m 6-foot-1, so our height difference isn’t serious.”

Derrick Webster Picks Up 20th Win

Derrick “Take it to the Bank” Webster (20-1, 10 KOs) made a triumphant return to the ring on Saturday night, pitching a shutout over battle-tested veteran Lenwood Dozier at the Grundy Arena in Bristol, Penn. The bout served as the main event of a card that was presented by the Glassboro native’s managerial team, DandD Management & Promotions.

“We were just sticking to the game plan,” Webster said of the strategy that he and head trainer Denny Brown maintained in the contest. “I overextended my shoulder in the first round. Denny has always taught me how to fight with one hand, so that’s what we had to do. I had to step to him with one hand and keep the combinations going with one hand, and we did so. We came out victorious, unhurt and unharmed, by him. I tried to land a big left hook, and I overextended my shoulder. It’s a part of boxing.”

Throughout the night, Webster stayed behind the jab and switched his angles up to create openings. Despite being hampered by his shoulder, he still got off his numbers when the opportunities presented themselves and maintained complete control. Dozier kept a high guard and stayed at range, which made Webster have to break through his shell to land his most significant strikes, but he continued to back Dozier up with his length and the snap in his punches.

Webster also used shifty movement to help him dominate the action over six rounds, keeping his jab in motion and popping off combinations. Additionally, he was very sound defensively, which enabled him to remain virtually untouched. At no point was the end result in doubt, and the Glassboro native would eventually secure the win with flush 60-54 counts from all three ringside judges.

“I really appreciate everybody who came out and supported me,” Webster remarked. “Once again, Team Webster, we’re here. I’m not going anywhere, and look for me in July with Greg Cohen Promotions and DandD Management. I’m getting married in September, and life couldn’t be any better. I appreciate everybody’s support, and I love all of the boxers who fought underneath me and did a great job tonight.”